Fast charging stations are arriving at motorway rest areas: the A7 is the first affected by this new service

The Bornaron rest area, in Drôme, on the A7, is the first in the Vinci highway network to have fast charging stations. Courtesy of VINCI Autoroutes

After service areas, it is now motorway rest areas that will soon offer fast electric charging stations. Around ten areas should be equipped by the end of the year, including seven for this summer.

While 100% of the service areas in its network now offer electric charging stations, Vinci Autoroutes has just equipped its first rest areas on some of the main routes in its network. By the end of the year, this will concern 18 rest areas located on the A7, A9 and A10 motorways, including 7 ready before summer. In total, 174 new high-power charging points (from 200 to 400 kW) will be deployed at these 18 rest areas in the south of France.

It is the Bornaron area, in Drôme, on the A7, which is the first to launch this new service. Will follow by the end of June, Bouterne (A7) in Drôme, Rivesaltes and Pia (A9) in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Cézac in Gironde as well as Saint Palais Ouest and Est (A10) in Charente-Maritime.

Limit their impact on the environment

These new stations will be designed in such a way as to limit their impact on the environment, with in particular the presence of photovoltaic panels, the production of which will be reinjected into the production circuits, but also the & #39;development of sites covered with draining paving stones so as not to waterproof the floors.

As a reminder, there is a rest area approximately every 20 km on the motorway. The idea is to be able to rest there, quench your thirst or simply stretch your legs as is customary after a two-hour drive.

Today, all service areas, which are found approximately every 60 km and which allow you to eat and refuel, have fast electric charging stations, which allows motorists driving electric cars on the holiday route to ensure they can recharge their batteries as soon as necessary… subject of course to the fact that these charging points are available and not damaged. This represents a total of more than 3,000 charging points made available to them across the entire French motorway network, more than 80% of which deliver high-power charging, i.e. greater than 150 kW.